Even as the elementary set has begun testing out new markers and cracking open crisp, white composition notebooks, another group of students is arranging laptops on utilitarian dorm room desks, worrying about night-owl roommates, and scoping out the best eats on campus.

The college crowd, which is known for its academic feats, off-the-hook parties, ability to take on the world and, of most interest to the Bargain Advocate, cheapness.

We might not all be handsome 20-somethings ready for a night on the town — or recovering from such a night — but there are a few lessons we frugal folks can stand to learn from collegians. I have attempted to reach deep into my personal experience to discover how.

• Sometimes to be cheap, you have to think creatively. My mom once told me about a roommate of hers who would make delicacies such as Jello pie, which I'm only a little disappointed didn't become a family favorite to be passed down through the generations. The key here is improvisation. If you don't have something (for example, eggs for a cake), figure out how you can substitute something else (for example, applesauce), or just eliminate it.

• Cheap and free entertainment are good. Of course, the beauty of being a college student and living on a campus — or at least in a college town — is that inexpensive entertainment abounds: Live music (no one said how good it has to be), art exhibits, sporting events, speakers. However, that's not to say the rest of us are out of luck. Thanks to online travel resources, it's never been easier to track down festivals, events and venues. (I enjoy ohiofestivals.net.) Again, conjure up your creative juices. My freshman year was spent in the middle of Indiana, where the closest mall was an hour away, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. We watched movies, went for walks, attended sporting events, and played this game called "star tipping." Google it.

• Buy (and sell) books — and other stuff — used. Thanks to websites such as half.com and ebay.com, one person's trash is another's treasure — and it's all accessible online. Pay a fraction of what you would have for anything from books to winter coats to dorm ... I mean, home ... decor.

• Shop at secondhand and discount stores. Consignment shops (where you also can sell your in-good-shape stuff), thrift stores and discount clothing stores can help you be a cool kid on campus (or wherever you happen to be) while not causing you to have to sacrifice, say, the last two weeks' worth of money on your food plan or grocery budget.

• Hang out with people who observe similar lifestyles. If your best friends are members of Phi Beta Kappa Tau Gamma and their parents pay for them to live in a $1.5 million mansion with a personal chef and six laundry rooms, you soon will find yourself discontented with your own lifestyle. Translate that into Real World-ese as you please.

• Make money — or earn privileges — with your talents. In college, I wanted to join the YMCA but didn't like the idea of paying for it, so I got a job as an assistant swim team coach. Later I worked for the student newspaper, which any newsperson will tell you basically is a slam-dunk, six-figure job (though truthfully, I wouldn't be here without it). Using your gifts to earn income or trade services makes it feel less like a job and more like a privilege.

• Don't go out to eat all the time. I learned this the hard way once, before I really paid attention to budgets. Ask my dad.

• Ride or walk. If you can use any other mode of transportation that doesn't require gas, it's better for your body and cheaper than taking a car. It also builds character, especially on sub-zero days when there are 8 inches of snow on the ground.

• Find free stuff. One time while I was bored in college — or, more likely, procrastinating on assignments — I made a goal to find as many free things as I could online. I got a calendar, some chapstick and a bunch of other knick-knacks that probably didn't last long and, in the next few months, I was pleased to find an occasional small package containing some item with fleeting worth in my lonely college mailbox. It was a fun mission, and I have no doubt that the abundance of free stuff only has increased in the past 10 years.

As you can see, there's much more knowledge to be obtained from college than what comes with a degree. And whether you're a student or stopped being one decades ago, as long as you're into saving money, hailing back to your college days is sure to provide some fresh inspiration.

If you have insight about a frugal living topic or an idea for a future column, email me at amroy@nncogannett.com. I'd love to hear from you!